Toco Lifting presses and swages its own steel wire rope slings in house, on seven hydraulic presses across Germiston and Cape Town covering rope from 1 mm to 56 mm. The largest is a 1 500 ton press taking 32 mm to 56 mm in both Afgrip and Superloop dies, which is what allows a large diameter sling to be built and tested here rather than sent to a third party. Finished assemblies are proof load tested on a 200 ton bench, 8 m, at Germiston, on load cells SANAS calibrated to 100 tons, and supplied with a Conformance Inspection Certificate and full traceability from rope batch to certificate. Toco Lifting is approved by the Department of Labour to undertake Conformance Inspections and Performance Testing per approved SANS or relevant OEM standard.
Toco Lifting assembles and presses its own steel wire rope slings rather than buying them in finished. That is the difference between a supplier and an assembler, and it shows up in three places: what diameters can be built at all, how long an order takes, and whether the paper trail runs unbroken from the rope to the certificate.
The presses
| Branch | Press | Die specification | Method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Germiston | 1 500 t | 32 mm to 56 mm | Afgrip and Superloop |
| Germiston | 600 t | 8 mm to 32 mm | Afgrip |
| Germiston | 400 t | 6 mm to 32 mm | Superloop |
| Germiston | 300 t | 6 mm to 22 mm | Afgrip |
| Germiston | 25 t, 4 pillar | 1 mm to 6 mm | Afgrip |
| Cape Town | 400 t | 8 mm to 20 mm | Afgrip |
| Cape Town | 25 t, 4 pillar | 2 mm to 6 mm | Afgrip |
The presses at Germiston, photographed on the floor.
Seven presses, two branches, 1 mm to 56 mm covered end to end.
The 1 500 ton press is the one worth noting. Heavy rope is where most suppliers stop and start subcontracting, because a 56 mm termination needs press tonnage that is not commonly held. Toco presses 32 mm to 56 mm in house, in both Afgrip and Superloop, which is why a heavy sling does not have to leave the building to be built.
Proof load testing
Finished assemblies are proof load tested on the 200 ton proof bench at Germiston, 8 m, on load cells SANAS calibrated to 100 tons. Cape Town assembles and ships to Germiston for proof testing.
SANAS accredits the calibration of the load cells. That is the accurate way to state it, and it matters: it means the load applied to your sling is measured against a nationally traceable reference rather than an uncalibrated gauge.
Lead times
Subject to rope and component stock at the time of order:
- Steel wire rope slings, 1 to 2 days for ten slings in 2 mm to 20 mm; 3 to 4 days for ten in 21 mm and up. Worked example: ten 20 m slings in 20 mm rope with Superloop thimble eyes run 2 to 3 days; the same order in 44 mm runs up to 5 days where the rope is carried, which it normally is.
- Chain slings, same day where the order is placed early, or next day collection. 1 to 2 days for ten, 3 to 4 days for larger quantities.
- Polyester slings, same day, off the shelf.
Alternative slinging designs and larger quantities move these figures, so confirm the lead time when you place the order.
Ferrules
The ferrule is the swaged termination the press forms around the rope. Toco presses to both the Afgrip and Superloop die systems, and stocks aluminium and steel ferrules to suit the duty. Aluminium is lighter and corrosion resistant and is the most widely specified for general industrial lifting; steel resists mechanical damage better and is specified for mining, smelting and petrochemical service.
Traceability
Every pressed assembly is supplied with a Conformance Inspection Certificate, with traceability from the rope batch through the press to the finished certificate. A Mill Certificate, the OEM birth certificate for the rope, can accompany it where a full material trace is required.
Because the rope is stocked, pressed, tested and certified by one company, there is no handover point where the trail breaks. That is usually the real reason a certificate cannot be produced two years later when someone asks for it.
What gets pressed here
- Steel wire rope slings, single through quadruple leg and eye and eye, to your length and rated working load limit
- Cable laid grommets, endless slings from one complete length of rope with a Hawser splice
- Steel wire rope cut to length from 1 mm to 56 mm stock
See also custom wire rope sling design and assembly and lifting equipment testing and certification.
Send the rope diameter, the length, the termination and the rated load you need. Call 011 345 8800 or email [email protected].
Frequently asked questions
What size rope can Toco press?
From 1 mm to 56 mm. The 25 ton four pillar press at Germiston covers 1 mm to 6 mm at the fine end, and the 1 500 ton press covers 32 mm to 56 mm at the heavy end. Cape Town covers 2 mm to 20 mm across its two presses. Larger rope can be supplied on enquiry.
What is the difference between Afgrip and Superloop?
They are two different die and ferrule systems, and Toco presses to both. Afgrip is the more widely specified system across the range and is run on five of the seven presses. Superloop is run on the Germiston 400 ton and, together with Afgrip, on the 1 500 ton. Which one suits an assembly depends on the rope, the termination and the service the sling will see, so tell the team the application and they will confirm.
Are slings proof load tested before they leave?
Slings are batch proof load tested on the 200 ton proof bench at the Germiston branch, on load cells SANAS calibrated to 100 tons. The bench takes slings up to 8 m in length. Cape Town assembles and ships to Germiston for proof testing.
Why does pressing in house matter?
Two reasons. Traceability runs unbroken from the rope batch through the press to the certificate, with no handover to a third party where the paper trail can break. And lead time is controlled by Toco rather than by a subcontractor, which is why a 44 mm sling can run in days rather than weeks.
How long does a sling order take?
Subject to rope and component stock: 1 to 2 days for ten slings in 2 mm to 20 mm, and 3 to 4 days for ten in 21 mm and up. As a worked example, ten 20 m slings in 20 mm rope with Superloop thimble eyes run 2 to 3 days, and the same order in 44 mm runs up to 5 days. Chain slings are same day if ordered early or next day collection; polyester slings are off the shelf.
What certificate comes with a pressed sling?
A Conformance Inspection Certificate. A steel wire rope sling cannot suspend or halt motion on its own, so it is lifting tackle rather than a lifting machine, and the Conformance Inspection Certificate is the correct class. A Mill Certificate can accompany it on request where a material trace on the rope is required.